Stay at home mom of three children 9,7,3. How do I start organizing my life, now that my children are growing?

Question

I have three great kids! My two older children are in school full time and my youngest is in pre-school, half days. Now that my children are self-sufficent, how do I start organizing my life and my home. I feel that for 9 years I have been helping my chidren, how do I start thinking of myself, my home and my life. If there is anyone who has a great schedule please feel free to help. If I don't have a routine going, I go crazy.
Thanks

Answer 1

I am a mother of three children 10,7,and 5,I was a stay at home mom for 10 years and now I'm back in the work force. It feels great,You are on the right track because you have a schedule. The hardest part about this is starting all over again from scratch, now you able to go do things that you couldn't do before because the kids were younger. The first thing you need to do is after you get your children off for the day sit down with a cup of tea/coffee and a book and relax, even if its just for 30mins its better than nothing. Then you will need to call up a friend and make a lunch date f or sometime in the week or when ever it is possible for her, that's where you start to think about you and what you want as woman ,and that's adult conversation again. We tend to talk to our kids for so many years that we forget how to have an adult conversation.Get some home decorating magazines and see what it is that you want to do with your home, see what changes that you would like to make, then do it, it will take time but its your project. It will take some time to get into thinking about your self, but you are worth it. Get a make over, go to the salon, you have the time now pamper your self.

Answer 2

OH Geez - there is not enough space to answer this question! There are lots of good books on this out there:

The Organizing Sourcebook : Nine Strategies for Simplifying Your Life by Kathy Waddill

Household Winners for Working Women: Your Personal Organization Tool Kit to Declutter and Design an Comfortable Home by A. Kingsley Bishop

Answer 3

I have over the years known quite a lot of women who found themselves in this dilemma as their children were galloping towards independence, and the "empty nest" ogre was sneaking up on them. However you do it, you need to start now, before he has a chance to sneak ALL the way up on you.
I believe it always helps a person to clarify his or her thoughts and feelings when they're put in writing. One friend of mine sat down and did this, making a list of what she always felt she would have liked to do, but never got around to it..... nothing "far out"... just something reasonable like learn to play a musical instrument... . learn to do some kind o f sewing, or embroidery.... try her hand at painting. learn a foreign language.......take some computer classes, that kind of thing. Next she made a list of her daily routine obligations, things that no matter what, she was going to have to continue to do.... laundry, cleaning, cooking - and of course, she would still be doing a few things for her children. Then she went over her lists, did a little research into what kind of help was available to her to assist her in whatever hobby she might be able to take up, and exactly how she was going to fit that time in with all of her responsibilities as a homemaker. The more she worked at th is, the more her brain began to "get the idea" and thoughts triggered more thoughts and ideas till she had a pretty good program worked out for herself. By the time her kids were REALLY out there more or less doing for themselves completely, she was organized, and enjoying her OWN newfound independence from the responsibilities of child-raising. She felt confident, and fulfilled.. and because she had properly planned, everything dovetailed into place and she didn't feel "guilty" about taking some of that freed up time to do her own thing.
I hope this gets your "creative juices" flowing a bit, and gives you some ideas. Good luck.

Answer 4

I don't really know what to say. Staying home for me also meant doing everything else as far as organizing and running the house so that's been done all along.

What sort of organizing do you need to do? Your 2 older ones can start with chores if they dont yet do them.

Answer 5

Check out this website it is really great. She wants to help us organize our life, homes and love ourselves. I am a little flybaby still but working on finally loving myself
www.flylady.com

Answer 6

Get a hobby... you don't need a schedule now. Write down a list of things that you need or would like to do - and the start doing them!

Answer 7

Yes do a list everyday of what needs to be done. Try to accomplish a little at at a time though so you don't get overwhelmed.

Answer 8

flylady.com
that is the best place to start.
get your home organized.
a part-time job or club/group meetings or volunteer work or school classes (for you!)
will help create a schedule.